Wise men say
by Jaydee B Bailey
Summary: Sometimes you need an outsider to point out what to do in certain situations. Sam and Jack do too. Not from one of their friends, but from a sweet old lady. S/J. Contains heaps of fluff and a pinch of sadness But not for S/J ; .
1. Only fools rush in

Sometimes, when you don't know what to do, an outsider sees things way more clearly than you do.  
Here's a story about Sam and Jack and a lady who is full of advise.

I really do love the cliche image of the sweet, older lady. ;)

Nothing Stargate is mine. Nothin' at all.

**______________________________**

**Wise Men Say…**

-Only fools rush in

Sam ran. As fast as she could and for as long as her lungs and legs could bare. She dodged branches and ignored the holes in the muddy ground below her feet, because she knew exactly where she was running, her own trail, off the paths which were laid out trough the park. The wind had picked up and made the dry leaves dance, right before Sam crushed them with her running shoes. Thoughts were tumbling over each other in her mind, pushing and shoving to be the centre of attention. _…the next step, Sam…  
_She felt a sharp stab in her side, but kept running. _…what's the next step?…_Her hand brushed against a sharp piece of a freshly fallen log and she was certain that it would start bleeding. She absentmindedly looked at it and spotted a small cut on the side of her hand. _…we can make it work… _It would heal. Just like that. Effortlessly. No need to take action.  
_…what if we can't, Jack?…_ Another stab in her side, as if her body was warning her to stop running, physically as well as mentally. But she didn't want to listen. She had to move. Moving meant that she wouldn't have to stand still and face her fears. Nothing could catch her if she only moved. _…we'd lose everything we have… _She picked up more speed and briefly wondered if she could actually be called a coward after having saved the planet several times. The answer came from one of the more annoying patterns of thought in her head. Yes, yes you can. You're a coward. A big honking…

She never saw the small woman in front of her, she didn't even immediately feel the body to body contact. Sam simply found herself stretched out on the grassy soil, with her face aimed at the blue sky above her. Her other hand hurt now. She moved her fingers and after getting the confirmation that everything still worked, she saw a face looking down at her.

"Oh dear, are you alright?''

The older woman had worry written all over her face and gently helped Sam to stand up.

''Yes, thank you. Are you OK, ma'am?''

Sam still wasn't sure what had just happened, but now that she stood in front of the woman she couldn't help but notice that she topped her in height quite a bit. On top of that, the woman looked fragile.

''I'm fine dear, really. This old body can still take a lot, you know…''

She smiled at Sam and looked at her hands.

''Oh, but you're bleeding honey. Doesn't that hurt?''

Sam followed the other woman's stare and saw that the cut she got while running had started to bleed profoundly and now that the adrenaline rush was decreasing, it started to sting as well. The woman didn't wait for Sam to answer and pulled her towards a bench.

''Sit down, sit down…''

Sam looked around and took in her surroundings. There were people strolling and children playing soccer on a field nearby. Without realising it, she had returned to the point in the park from which she had started her frantic run earlier. The woman was rummaging in her bag and pulled out a pack of tissues and a pocket size bottle of liquor. She grinned when she noticed Sam was looking at it.

''Don't worry, sweetheart. I never combine drinking and cleaning open wounds…''

Sam smiled back, but couldn't come up with a clever response yet. She was still a bit dazed from the incident, but felt her thoughts clear up nonetheless. The blood had stained her top and Sam thought that it was strange that after the amount of the liquid she had seen in her life, she still was surprised by the bright red colour it could have. On the light grey of her shirt, it jumped out at her. The woman soaked some tissues in alcohol and softly started to wipe away the blood from the cracked skin on her hand. Sam gritted her teeth and tried to come up with the reason why this woman seemed so familiar to her…

''My late husband used to get cut all the time. He was a gardener. One time, he even managed to saw off his thumb. Well, not really saw it off, but the doctors had to cut it off in the hospital…''

Sam must have pulled a face that could be read as 'shocked', because the woman patted her arm and nodded.

''Don't worry, hon., I'm pretty sure you get to keep yours.''

Sam laughed and at the same time remembered that this was the sweet old lady who was sitting on this very same bench every morning when Sam started her run.

''Yeah, so am I.''

They sat in silence when the woman finished cleaning Sam's cut and put a bandage on it. The tip of her tongue stuck out when she tore off the paper ends.

''All done. My children used to ask me to draw smiley faces on them when they were little, but I reckon you're a bit too old for that huh?''

Sam let out a small laugh and felt better than she did before.

''Oh, I sure could use a smiley face right now…''

The woman looked at her and almost invisibly nodded her head. She sat back on the bench with a straight back and her hands on her lap.

''Isn't life treating you right?''

She looked sideways at Sam, with genuine interest and concern apparent in her eyes. Sam sighed and sat back as well, yet less elegantly.

''On the contrary, I think life is a little too good to be true.''

She never felt comfortable talking to strangers about anything that concerned her personal life, but this lady had something that made Sam spill. She told her everything she could tell her. About being in a line of work that did not allow her to fall in love with a co-worker, about the time they had spent ignoring their feelings, her engagement to a caring man she could easily get, but who wasn't the right one for her and she told her about her father's death.

''…He was there for me, this man, the now former ...boss? Jack. He knew exactly what to do and say to keep me from falling into a pattern of continuous work and outdoing myself. He pulled me out of a spiral of misery and sadness. He…''

Sam fell silent as she remembered the time she had spent with Jack the last couple of weeks. They had gone fishing, they had gone out to drive on her bike or in his car simply to get away. He told her he was transferring, she had admitted that she would miss him more than she would miss any other random colleague and friend. They had sincere talks about the past, the present and at some time, they had started to discuss a possible future. One they could maybe, possibly, actually share. And that's were Sam got scared senseless. She had that kind of talk before. With Jonas. With Pete. None of them had been as close a friend as Jack had been. Neither of them had taken such a firm place in her heart as he had taken. With her former fiances she had never worried about what it would be like to lose them, because she hadn't been as terrified to not have them in her life as she was with Jack. Then, last night, he had come out and said it.

------------------------------------------

''_I think it's time to take the next step, Sam.''_

Sam looked up from her position near the barbeque and glanced over her shoulder to check were Teal'c and Daniel were.

''_What's the next step?''_

He looked her in her eyes while he took her hands in his and Sam couldn't help but think that they fit together perfectly.

''_Start a relationship, see how it goes, even though I'm sure that we can make it work…''_

Sam swallowed and fear crept up on her.

''_What if we can't Jack? What if we suck at it? We'd… we'd lose everything we have''_

''_Don't let fear stand in the way, Sam. Just don't. We are that good. I would rather try and lose the friendly banter, than kick myself on a daily base for not taking the opportunity…''_

''_Jack…'' _

She wanted to tell him it wasn't right. Yell at him about how he deserved someone better. Someone who would do the right thing, who could get lost in the romance of a relationship without preparing to leave one day… But the words didn't come. She simply decided against talking and she would take the easy way out. The one the two of them had made into a form of art: sucking it up and moving on. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

Jack leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. Without saying anything else, he walked into the house and didn't talk about it again. He knew she needed time, and gave it to her.

----------------------------------------

''What are you afraid of, honey?''

The voice of the elderly lady pulled Sam back into the moment and she shook her head.

''I don't know. Not really…''

The woman held a paper bag with biscuits in front of her and because Sam felt hungry, she gracefully accepted one.

''Oh, I think you're fully aware of it, but let me take a guess based on experience?''

Sam munched on her cookie and nodded.

''You're scared to take the plunge. To get hurt. You believe that the one thing you want the most will turn out to be an illusion…''

She smiled as Sam looked down at the blood-stained toes of her shoes.

''I don't know what I'm supposed to do.''

Sam felt a hand on her shoulder.

''You just told me that you have had years to figure it out. It's not like you had to rush… Go talk to him. Tell him how you feel. Kiss him senseless if you feel like it and go for it!''

Sam let out a small giggle and felt her confidence grow. She could do this. It was easy. He was a safe bet… She grinned at the lady.

''I never got your name…''

''It's Ella.''

Sam shook the hand the woman gave her and suddenly realised that she had told her all about what was on her mind without even having mentioned her own name.

''I'm Sam. It was nice to finally talk to you.''

The woman pointed to the other people in the park.

''You see them every week. Some of them, like you, have a routine. They jog, walk the dog or drive by with the kids when they're on their way to the gym… Everyone has a story, a destination. To them, I'm just someone they pass by, just like they are to me. You sometimes forget that they all have lives outside of the two or three seconds in which they become part of your world… It was nice to finally talk to you too, Sam. Now there's a name to go with the face. Before, you were just the 'running woman with the silver fox husband'.''

Sam's head shot up and she was sure that the look on her face was priceless.

''What? You were always bantering like a married couple…''

Sam smiled as she got up from the bench and she couldn't wipe the smug look off her face when she said thanks to Ella for taking care of the cut on her hand. She needed to talk to Jack. Her 'husband'. The silver fox.

When she arrived at Jack's house, her thoughts had started to tumble over each other again. She didn't know what to say, where to look and what to do with her hands. She felt torn between being confident and uncertain. She could still turn around and…

Jack opened the door and raised his eyebrows. He opened his mouth to say something, but Sam had already started to blurt out the first thought that entered her mind.

''We can make this work, Jack.''

________________________________

Will there be more? Yes. Because I love writing these characters. :)  
To those who have read my story ''Gone Fishing...'', yes, this old lady might somewhat remind you of Ethel.  
She's not the same, though. :P

Thanks for taking the time to read!


	2. Some things are meant to be

Thanks or the reviews!  
Ok, this update went a bit slow, but it's here. :)  
More fluff with Ella.

**__________________________**

**Wise men say…**

-Some things are meant to be

It was a cold day, but Jack didn't mind. He looked at the leaves and how they moved in the wind and smiled when he saw how a Jack Russell chased them until they fell on the ground. The owner looked at him and smiled what must have been her most seductive smile. …_Fat chance… _Jack nodded at her and walked by without taking further notice. The woman shrugged and returned her attention to the dog.

He and Sam could get one. They'd have to figure out where it would live, but it was possible. A time shared dog. They would name it together, get it trained… It would probably end up sleeping with them in bed, waking them up early and… His thoughts made his heart jump when he realised where they were going. A family. A family that was a little odd, but still…

Jack thought about the note Sam had written him before she left his house.

''_We can still make this work. Planes, trains, automobiles… Even e-mail. X Sam.''_

He was transferring, Sam was moving on and still they couldn't be together. They had settled for a relationship that meant that they were seeing each other without actually 'seeing' each other. Long distance. Close and yet so far away. It was a good thing. Sure. Yeah. It was absolute…

''Crap!''

Jack's head shot up when he noticed the woman the swearword came from. She was small, grey, wrinkled and innocent looking. And still, she had something feisty. He caught a glimpse of an orange rolling against his foot, while some apples bounced on the pavement, making their way to the street. Without thinking about it, he grabbed the orange piece of fruit with one hand and swiped up the apples with the other. The older woman bent over to collect the rest of her fruit and vegetables that were spread around her. Her woven basket had a hole in the bottom the size of … an orange.

''Here you go ma'am.''

Jack handed her the bruised fruit and frowned at her partly squashed tomatoes. The woman followed his gaze.

''It's ok. I'm making tomato soup, they'll look much worse after _I'm_ done with them…''

She smiled and made knots to fix the hole in her basket.

''And thank you, Jack.''

He raised his eyebrows at the mention of his name, but soon remembered the story Sam had told him about the lady in the park. Ella. This one fit the description…

''You know my name?''

She nodded, but didn't look up at him.

''You're Sam's guy.''

Jack smirked and decided that he liked this lady. She dropped two oranges in the repaired basket and let out a frustrated sigh when they fell trough the hole again.

''Oh …drat! ''

She blinked, looked at the battered oranges and shrugged. Jack made the offer to help her with her groceries by carrying them in his arms and she gladly accepted. He moved to grab the two fallen pieces of fruit but the lady stopped him.

''Leave them, they'd just be extra weight and they're products of nature, so they won't do any harm…''

They started to walk in the direction she pointed in and Jack heard someone trip and yell.

''Oh freakin'… Who in earth leaves oranges laying on the sidewalk?!''

The elderly lady turned and screamed back with a sparkle in her eyes.

''Kids these days!''

She shook her head and Jack was pretty sure he saw her wink at him.

--------------------------------------

They walked up to a small white painted house with flowers in the yard. A cat was eying Jack from behind the window and he faintly heard a bird sing.

''You don't strike me as the tea kind of man, but I can make you some coffee?''

He felt that he couldn't refuse and said he'd love some. As they entered the house, images of Martha Steward and The Brady Bunch tumbled over each other. The lady's house was …homey. Jack expected cookies and a fireplace, but got disappointed in that area. Instead, he got the offer for a sandwich and a central heating unit. The first he turned down, the second was turned up and made him feel warm and fuzzy in the most literal sense of the way. As the petite woman disappeared into the kitchen, he looked at the picture of the grandchildren on the wall. He counted twelve.

''Something for you and Sam?''

He turned around to face the lady who was watching him with an amusement written on her face. She nodded at the family picture.

''Um… We haven't really touched on that matter yet.''

He had thought about it, but as much as he thought they would be great parents, something held him back. The job, their ages, the new situation that came with having a relation… Jack wasn't sure. The lady came to stand next to him and she seemed to have felt that she had to change the subject.

''How's Sam doing? She's such a sweetheart.''

Jack felt a smile creeping up and he was sure that he was turning into a sap.

''She's good. She's happy. We're happy. And she is.''

She mirrored his smile and nodded again.

''That's good.''

Jack fell silent and stared at the wall.

''…So what's wrong?''

He let out a sigh.

''We're transferring. We both are. I'm going to Washington, she's going to Nevada.''

He tried to make it sound like a minor thing, but his face must have given him away, because the woman put a hand on his arm and squeezed.

''You don't want to be separated from her.''

Jack looked at her and tried to push back every upcoming thought about being unable to pick Sam up from work to grab a drink, or about Sam showing up late at night to talk about their day. He tried to ignore the fact that all they could do was talk on the phone and that he wouldn't be able to run his fingers trough her hair, or to pull her into a hug. He thought about all the times he had temporarily lost her off world…

''I can't even imagine what it's like to be anywhere without her close by.''

It was the truth. Even when Sam had been captured or missing, he had a gut feeling that things would work out. Even when he feared she was dead, something told him that she would come back somehow. But now, even with a much shorter distance between them, he felt that he could actually loose her to powers beyond his control. She could loose interest, meet another man, get involved in a stupid accident… Somehow, earth's threats still seemed more real to him than any bad guy the galaxy could throw at them. Ba'al could be survived, but what about a plane crash? He knew it was a very stupid way of thinking, but stupidity happened. He really didn't want to be separated from her, but he had to be.

''My husband was a gardener. He had his own way of organizing and designing gardens, a trademark, if you will. He got invited to meetings all over the country, back in the days… I was very proud of him and encouraged him to develop his skills. To spread his wings and take every opportunity he got. He designed backyards for the elite in New York and for movie stars in L.A. while I stayed at home with the little ones. He got rewarded for it, but still… All I could think about was that he was away too much and too often. Every time he walked out that door, my heart seemed to stop beating…''

It looked as if she wanted to add something to that and Jack waited for her to continue, but she stopped talking. He raised an eyebrow and figured that he must have missed the punch line. The woman noticed him waiting and grinned.

''…But when he came back… Boy, *did* he come back! We had to tell the neighbours he couldn't walk straight because he had an accident with an oak…''

She slightly blushed and put a hand before her mouth, while her eyes grew large in disbelieve for actually saying it. Jack blinked but couldn't help but chuckle.

'''So that's how one ends up with six kids and twelve grandchildren…''

She laughed out loud and squeezed his arm again.

''From what Sam told me, I dare to say that the two of you have a dang good thing going on. She loves you, I'm sure you love her… If it's meant to be, you're going to be fine, Jack. If it isn't meant to be, at least you will have had a good time welcoming each other back from time to time.''

He smirked and thought about what Sam had told him. They could make it work. And in all fairness… What did long distance really mean in the grand sceme of things?

Jack looked at his watch. Time to go. Time to go to the store and pick up some milk and bread. They had one weekend left before the chaos broke loose and he was planning on celebrating togetherness as much as they could. He said goodbye to Ella and he actually whistled on his way to the store and on his way back to Sam.

----------------------------

Sam smiled and looked up at him from behind a huge cardboard box filled with books. Before she could say a word he had taken her hand and pulled her up so fast that she had to lean on him not to fall over. Taking advantage of her unstable position, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her through the living room. She protested with a surprised ''_Jack, what are you…'' _and looked at him questioningly. Jack wiggled his eyebrows in response.

''I think you and I should practise the whole 'welcome back'- routine.''

She rolled her eyes at him, but grinned at the same time. Jack gracefully continued carrying her away from the boxes she had been packing all day.

''So, Sam… have you ever heard about the dangers of working with oak trees?''

_______________________________________________

More to come! More S/J togetherness too.

Thanks for your time :D


	3. Take my hand

Sappy. Yes, that's _exactly_ the right word for this story. :P

This story I do like, but it also seems to get shoved under the bed a little.  
If there's anyone who's waiting for new chapters, I'm very sorry for the constant delay in updating! Here goes:

_________________________________

**Wise Men say…**

-Take my hand

It was good to be back.

Sam looked at the sky and smiled when she saw the clear sky, even now that it was the season for rain and heavy winds. The trees seemed to glow while showing the different shades of bright yellow, orange and red. Rich. The colours were rich. She glanced at Jack who seemed to be in deep thought and grinned at his ruffled hair, which caught the light almost as well as the leaves did. It shone like polished silver. He scanned the park and smiled when he found the person they had been looking for. The lady stood by the pond and was throwing small pieces of bread to the ducks, unaware that she was being watched.

The park was crowded with people who were drawn there by the end of the season fair. Merchants were trying to sell coffee and cookies and a band was entertaining whoever felt like listening to their smooth jazzy sound. Even though everyone was dressed in thick coats, woollen hats and gloves, the atmosphere was cosy. Sam and Jack made their way over to Ella and a smile broke through on her face when she saw the couple approaching her.

''Sam! Jack!''

She carefully put what was left of the bread on a bench and hugged them both.

''Wow, it's been a while…''

Sam held on to Ella's hands. It was a strange kind of friendship she and Jack shared with her, but it was a good one. Ella had become somewhat of a go to person. The sweet grandma who was always full of advise… She was surprised that Jack reacted to her the way he did. He would probably never admit to it, but he cared.

''It's the first time we're back in Colorado Springs… Life's been way too busy.''

They continued their small talk, but Jack seemed to get more uncomfortable by the minute. Sam frowned, but decided not to get into it right now. He seemed to notice her look and raised his eyebrows.

''Uhm, Sam? Would you mind getting us some coffee?''

Sam stared at Jack for a couple of seconds.

''Jack… can't you get it yours…''

It earned her a look and suddenly she realized that he needed to talk to Ella. She turned to the other woman.

''Can I get you some?''

Ella nodded and didn't seem to notice the tense situation. Sam started the journey to the coffee stand and sighed at the sight of a queue the size of one you could normally only find in Disneyworld.

----------------------------------------

Jack fiddled with the object in his pocket and wondered if he was doing the right thing. They didn't need this, but it would make sense. It would be the most sensible thing to do… He loved her. A lot. He sighed and stood in silence. He had never been the kind of guy to ask for advice. Especially not when it came to his love life. He looked over his shoulder and watched Sam walk up to the line for coffee. He wasn't thirsty, but he knew that it would take her a while to get back and he needed the time. Ella studied his face and smirked.

''It has gotten pretty serious between the two of you, huh?''

Jack smiled. It really had.

''I'm planning on asking her to marry me…''

She clapped her hands together and gasped.

''_Planning_? What's holding you back?''

Jack looked up at the sky and wondered how he was going to explain something that he probably made more complicated in his mind, than that it was in reality. Would Sam think his proposal was a rushed decision? Would she doubt his motives? Did or did he not only want to get married because they had a small window of opportunity now that they weren't in the same chain of command? Was it selfish to ask her to do this now? He returned his attention to Ella.

''Work. Work's holding me back.''

Ella laughed and shook her head in response. Jack opened his mind to try to explain, but Ella raised a finger and stopped him from speaking.

''Life's too short, Jack. And I believe you know that very well. Seize the day, grab every opportunity that life throws at you… All those cliché's are true. The memory of an entire career can fade away next to that of one romantic gesture. Follow your inner sap. Do what your heart tells you, even if your mind protests.''

Jack looked at Sam and noticed that she was near the end of the line. He was struck with a sudden burst of inspiration and knew that Sam would either love or absolutely hate the idea he had. It was unlike him. It was cheesy and maybe even stolen from a movie he had seen without remembering it, but at least _she_ would remember…

---------------------------------------

Sam sighed again. The man in front of her couldn't make a choice between regular coffee or decaf and she grunted so that no one could actually hear it. She would kick Jack. He owed her. She had been standing in line for over fifteen minutes and figured that if the coffee wouldn't be worth it, he'd owe her even more. She looked at the place where she had left Jack and Ella and found that they were gone. Great. One more point of criticism to add to that list. Sam was thinking of what she would let him do to get even when she suddenly felt something tuck at her sleeve. She looked down and found a little boy looking at her. He giggled when he noticed that he had her attention and spoke up with a kind of childish intonation only little boys could have.

''You're Sam.''

It sounded more like a statement than a question, but Sam confirmed it anyway.

''Jack says…''

He looked at his mom, who was smiling and standing a little further away. He had forgotten what Jack had said, but apparently seeing his mother cleared his head.

''Oh yeah. Jack said tell Sam to say, um... ...yessiryourebetty.''

Sam looked at him and had no idea what he meant and he ran away before she could ask him. She shook her head and igured that she would have to ask Jack. The man who stood in front of her had made his choice and Sam placed her order. She wondered what Jack was up to, but her thoughts were interrupted again, this time by a woman who somehow reminded her of Aretha Franklin.

''Sam?''

She nodded and began to feel uncomfortable.

''Jack wanted me to tell you that you can find him at the pond, he and the other lady had to rush over there, so he asked me to tell you.''

Sam blinked.

''Oh and honey, from one woman to another… If you won't, I will… UhHuh.''

The woman winked at her and walked away without saying another word. Sam paid for the coffee, grabbed some milk and sugar and had to hold on to the three paper cups with both hands. What in earth was Jack doing?

''Samantha!''

A young man with a British accent ran up to her with a big grin on his face.

''Say you will! I made a bet with my friend that you would.''

Sam shook her head and briefly closed her eyes in disbelieve.

''Jack again?''

The man laughed.

''Absolutely.''

He gave her a thumbs up as he ran off again. Something began to dawn on her. He wouldn't, would he? Sam was sure she had started to blush and she continued her walk towards the pond. This wasn't something Jack would do. He couldn't actually be… An elderly couple waved at her and told her she had to say yes. A girl with a ponytail walked with her and whispered that Jack was nice. A jogger simply yelled ''Go Sam!'' when he passed her. It went on and on. _…Say yes, Sam. Go for it, Sam… _All things considered, strange planets and aliens taken into account, this must have been one of the strangest moments in her life. Sam looked over her shoulder and noticed that most of the people who had given her a message were following her. When she took in the image of the pond, she noticed that Jack wasn't there, but Ella was.

''What's going on?''

Sam was nervous and felt that she could break into a fit of girly giggles anytime. Ella nodded at the small group of people behind Sam and then looked at her.

''I take it you received the messages?''

Sam felt her cheeks glow and was grateful for the little breeze cooling them down a bit. Her mouth got dry, so she simply nodded. Ella squeezed her arm and stepped closer to softly say something in Sam's ear.

''You guys made it work. You'll be just fine.''

She took a step back and made a gesture which indicated that Sam had to turn around. Sam followed her instructions and saw Jack standing there.

''Jack? What…''

He crossed the distance between them and came to a halt in front of her. He fiddled with something in his pocket and pulled it out. Sam gasped when she saw the little black box.

''I won't go down on one knee for you and I won't promise to give you the world. I'm not going to point out just how good we are together or tell you that I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You know everything there is to know, Sam…''

Sam stared at him and she was well aware of the silence that had fallen over the …spectators.

''…In order to convince you I have decided to let my actions speak for themselves and have them backed up by an independent party.''

She grinned. She grinned and tried to hold back a giggle. Jack wiggled his eyebrows at her and opened the box, revealing a ring that made her laugh out loud. It was made of bent and woven paperclips. The sharp edges were bent to the outside. Jack grinned and continued his speech.

''Every time I got bored, I was forced to make a choice between reading my memo's and thinking about you with office supplies in my hands.''

He shrugged and put on his trademark boyish Jack O'Neill- smile.

''You know how I am with those darned memo's…''

In a whisper he added a '...'This ring in sponsored by the United States government. I'll get you a real one...'', for only Sam to hear.

''So... marry me?''

The question came suddenly, but Sam had been preparing herself almost the entire walk from the coffee stand to the pond.

''Yessiryou'reMary!''

Jack pulled a questioning face and Sam was finally able to let out a giggle.

''Yeah… I figured that message got lost along the way…''

''Ah… But it was a yes, right?''

Sam smiled.

''Yes. Yes, it was.''

''Good.''

The small audience cheered and applauded, but all Sam could focus on was the thought of kissing her now fiancé. Number three, but definitely the best one. She acted on her thoughts and grabbed Jack so she could kiss him. As she held him in a hug, she looked at Ella, who had tears in her eyes and nodded at her. Somehow, Sam believed that she had played a part in all of this and she was thankful for that.

___________________________

Oh... Sugar, sugar...  
I hope everyone's fillings are still in place. Did I mention it was sappy? ;) And yes, probably a bit OOC, but hey.  
There will be one, maybe two more chapters.

Thanks for your time!


	4. Like the river flows

This is the last chapter of ''Wise men say...'' and it's kind of sad. I somehow couldn't take all that fluff...  
Thanks or the reviews!

Here goes:

**_________________________**

**Wise men say…**

-Like the river flows

Gone with the Goa'uld, done with the Ori, now her time on Atlantis was over… Sam was home. Jack tapped his fingers on the bench and wondered what the melody reminded him off. Tap tap. Taptap… taptaptaptap…Dumdum. Dumdum… A hand from coming from behind captured his and held it to the wooden surface, disabling him from continuing the sun reflected in the ring on one of the fingers and it made Jack smile. He felt her head move close to his face.

''It's _''Son of a preacher man''_…now stop it.''

He felt Sam's warm breath against his ear just before she kissed him on the cheek. She walked around the bench and sat down next to him. Jack raised an eyebrow and she shrugged in response.

''You were humming it when you picked me up.''

''Ah…''

They sat in silence for a while and they both stared at the red and orange coloured sky. The sight was spectacular and Jack noticed how Sam let out a small sigh. She grabbed his hand and he felt the cold metal of her ring against his skin. He looked at her and waited for an endless stream of words that didn't follow. Instead the silence became somewhat loaded and Jack braced himself.

''So… what happened to Ella?''

She swallowed and bit her lower lip, but wouldn't look at him. Jack didn't know what to say.

''She's…''

He shook his head and the gesture earned him Sam's attention. He felt her hand tighten around his. The look in her eyes told him that she knew exactly which direction this conversation would take.

''They found her here early in the morning. It had been snowing that night…''

Tears had started forming in Sam's eyes and were about to fall. Jack wasn't sure how to continue. She breathed in sharply.

''Oh no…''

''I don't know what happened, Sam. I just don't…''

He put his arm around her and gave her a moment to recover from what she had heard. He never got the chance to tell her sooner. She was in another galaxy, she had been fighting of yet another enemy and still Jack felt awful for not having told her this a month ago.

He still had a clear image of her in his head, like a framed picture. He remembered her as she had been the day he had proposed to Sam. The way she smiled and clapped her hands. The way she helped him recruit bystanders to encourage Sam to say yes. He looked at Sam and found her in deep thought.

--------------------------------------

Sam felt a tear roll down her face, but she didn't feel like wiping it away. It ended up on Jack's shoulder and she knew he didn't mind. He had supported her trough too many losses already. She counted on him to be there. She felt a heavy feeling in her stomach and it reminded her of the day she had met Ella. The strong woman with the wise words.  
She was gone.

''Wise men say…''

She glanced up at Jack long enough to catch a glimpse of the wondering look in his eyes.

''Wise men say what?''

''Nothing at all.''

She watched the clouds move slowly, causing an ever changing view. Her mind wandered off to the day of her wedding.

---------------------------------

Vala and Cassie had literally been running around her with make up, shoes and hair accessories. And Sam had wondered where all those female friends in the room came from. She needed a break, but when everyone had left, the silence had grabbed Sam by the throat. This was it. The moment in which, in an ideal world, her mother would have come into the room with a glass of water to calm her down. She stared at the door and sighed. God, she missed her. Tears welled up in her eyes and she was thankful that Vala wasn't there to complain about mascara. Sam stared at her image in the mirror and told it to suck it up. A lock of hair fell over her eyes and she tried to blow it away, knowing that it wouldn't work. It was stupid, but entertaining.

''Oh…try blowing harder, honey.''

Sam smiled and looked at Ella's reflection in the mirror. The older woman stood in the doorway and held a cup of coffee in her hands.

''That …Vala? She told me you needed a drink, but I figured coffee would be safer. Just don't spill it. In the state she's in, Cassandra might _actually_ kill you if you walk down the isle with a coffee stain on your dress.''

Her eyes started to twinkle.

''…Although I think Jack would find it charming, so you'd win either way.''

She walked up to Sam, put the coffee on the dresser and handed her a tissue.

''I bet he would.''

Sam dried her eyes and sighed again.

''I know it sounds like a line from a movie, sweetheart, but they'd be proud of you. Your parents, I mean.''

Sam nodded and chuckled

''I know. You would have gotten along very well.''

She thought of her dad. She was finally getting everything she wanted. And he wasn't here to tell her that he had known all along. That he had hoped she wouldn't have fallen for her CO, but that at least she had picked a man that had proven worth her love…

A fresh set of tears started to fall and Sam briefly celebrated the waterproof mascara business.

Ella stepped up and hugged her. With her arms still around Sam's body she spoke up.

''In your life, no matter how long it lasts, you will never have to go without the ones you have loved in the past, sweetie. Interacting with each and everyone of them has made your life what it is now. They are the very essence of it all.''

Sam smiled and grabbed another tissue.

''Yeah.''

''Now… go marry that man of yours. Some of the ladies who saw him proposing to you in the park are lining up outside to grab him if you say 'no'…''

She winked and walked to the door. Sam grinned and called her name.

''Has anyone ever told you how wise you are?''

Ella waved it away.

''Oh, I talk way too much to be called wise. You know, wise men… Wise men say nothing at all. That's how you recognise them. They're silent, look smart and nod a lot. I'm just little old me.''

She waved and slipped out the door. Sam turned back to the mirror and laughed out loud. It was time to marry her guy.

--------------------------------------

Jack squeezed her shoulder and that little gesture pulled her back to reality.

''We should go. It's getting cold…''

Sam smiled, nodded and noticed that her muscles had gotten stiff from sitting still. She looked at the bench and felt sadness stab.

''She was a great person, wasn't she?''

Jack took her hand.

''Life's just too short.''

They walked away and Sam looked at the sky one more time. The sky Ella might have looked at when she died... Without making a sound, her lips formed the words 'thank you'. Ella would be a part of her life. Part of the stories she and Jack would tell their friends and family. She had helped Sam to stop running, she had helped Jack to go and take advantage of the moment. She had been a breeze in every single moment they had shared with her. The light of the sun broke through the clouds one last time before it would set and it made Sam smile.

''Let's go home…''

____________________________

I'm sorry for this ending if it's not your thing!  
I thought about doing it differently, but in my mind, it made the story fall flat.

Thanks for your time! :)


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